‘Daily Show’s’ Aasif Mandvi Stares Down Tennessee Racism and Mocks It

In their continuing coverage of the “Community Center of Death,” aka the erroneously named “Ground Zero Mosque” controversy, ‘The Daily Show’ sent their Senior Muslim Correspondent Aasif Mandvi to the site of another ‘don’t build a mosque here’ struggle – in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

He sat down with the mosque opposition leader Laurie Cardoza Moore, who claimed “This has nothing to do with religion. It’s about stopping the advancement of radical Islam in the United States of America.” Without a hint of irony.

She actually told Mandvi to his face that “you believe that the Jews and the Christians are the infidels and are, according to the Koranic teachings, supposed to be killed,” “Islam is a political system of global domination,” “30 percent are terrorists” and more. When he then looked at her incredulously and asked “you do know I’m Muslim, right?” Her response? “Nobody’s perfect.”

Earlier in the segment, Jon Stewart cut through both wings of the debate, showing clips of Fox News claiming building this community center in New York would embolden terrorists, and MSNBC claiming that not building it would embolden terrorists.

“How about we try a new system where we don’t give a f–k about what they think?” Stewart quipped. “It’s like wondering what your ex-girlfriend about the drapes you and your wife picked out for your apartment. No matter what pattern you pick, she’s not going to like the drapes, because she’s f–king crazy! That’s why you’re not going out with her anymore!”

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